Sliding gate



(No Model.)

J. P. NORLIN.

SLIDING GATE.

No. 403,694. Patented May 21 1889.

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JACOB P. NORA-LIN, OF HEMKER, MTSSOUR.

SLIDING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,694, dated May 21, 1889.

Application filed January 2l, 1889. Serial No. 297,040. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, JACOB P. NORLIN, of

llemker, in the county of Franklin and State ot' Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Slidin g Gates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a roller-track pendent gate Operated by draw-cords and crank-pulleys; and the invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter` fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l vis a perspective view of the gate, and shows its roller-track and the crank-pulleys and cords by which it is operated. Fig. Il is an enlarged detail elevation of the latching-post and toe of the gate. Fig. lll, is an enlarged horizontal section of the central pulley-box, showing pulleys housed therein, and a detail of the operative cords that actuate the gate. Fig. lV is an enlarged vertical section of said pulley-box, with a detail of its supporting-posts, and shows the balance track-roller on which the gate travels. Fig. V is an enlarged detail et the balance-bar, the rear guide-post, the anti-friction rollers it carries, the combined counterpoise and bracecarrier bar, and the rear terminals of the metal braces secured to said bar. Fig. Vl is an enlarged detail rear elevation of the heelpost of the gate, and shows the clamping device for fastening the ends of the actuating wire rope after taking up the slack of the same and for refastening after the wire stretches and has been readj usted. Fig. VII is an enlarged horizontal section of the same, and shows the clamping-iron gripping the ends of the wire rop'es when impressed by the setfscrew.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the central supporting-posts, and 2 the trackroller, which turns on a journal-pin, 3, that passes through one of the posts, through the roller, and into the other supporting-post.

a is the sliding gate; 5, the heel-post and central brace-carrier, in towhich post the heels ofl the gate-bars (5 are mortised.

7 are th vertical double tee posts or studs, between w lich the toes of the gate-bars are secured by any suitable means. The upper bar of the gate runs on the roller 2 between the double posts 1, from which roller the gate hangs pendent, and on which it travels as it slides or is carried back and forth, the posts being planted with just sufficient intervening space between them to allow the free slide play of the gate.

8 represents a eounterpoise-bar, the front end of which is mortised and secured in the heel-post 5 of the gate and which runs between double anti-friction rollers 9, supported b y the guide-post 10, which is planted at the rear sliding limit et the gate.

11 is a vertical journal-bearer stud, which, with the intermediate blocks, 12, at its ends, is secured to the guide-post by screw-bolts 13, the said blocks intervening to project the stud sufficiently to allow free play for the anti-friction rollers 9, between which the counterpoise-bar ru'ns, and for the bar itself. The rollers have their bearings on the journal-pins 11, that pass through the bracketbea-ring stud, through said rollers, and into the guide-post.

15 represents a counter-poise brace-carrier bar, into which the rear end of the counterpoise-bar S is mortised. This bar has the combined functions of a counterpoise-weight to balance the gate and of a tension-brace carrier. The rear end of the lower brace-rod, 16, is passed through the lower end of said bar and secured thereto by the screw-nut 17, for which the bevel-washer 1S provides an equaliZing-seat. The hook 1.9 at the forward end of said brace-rod engages with a clevis, 20, secured to the foot of the heel-post 5 of the gate by the bolt 21.

22 represents an elevated compound bracerod, the hook 23 on the forward end of which engages with a clevis, 2a, secured by the bolt 25 to the toe-posts 7 of the gate near their upper ends. The said compound brace-rod is elcvated in the middle over the extension-top 2U of the heel-post 5 in the groove 27, in the top of which the rod is seated. The rear end of thc brace-rod passes through near the top end of the combined counterpoise and brace `bar l5.v To thisbar it is secured by the screw-nut 28, for which the bevel-washer 29 provides an equalizing-seat between said nut and the counterpoise-bar.

It will be seen that should the gate settle and sag, as is the fashion of all things inungate and of the roller on which it runs, and

from which it hangs pendent, as also to reduce to a minimum the span of the journalpin on which said roller has its bearings.

30 represents a trip-latch that works between the upper ends of the toe-posts of the gate, and that has a pivotal bearing on the bolt 25, on which also the upper brace-rod clevis, as stated, has its bearing. The rear arm, 31, of said latch is elevated by the strapspring 32, by which means the catch 33 of the latch in its normal position, when the gate is closed, always engages with the latch-plate 34 on the head of the latching-post 35, so as toA insure the fastening ofthe gate in its closed position. A perforated tripping-lug, 36, surmounts thev latch with which it is integral, and in the perforation in said lug the actuating wire rope .37 is seated, which rope both trips the latch and operates the 4sliding gate, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The post 35 is planted at the extreme forward limit of the sliding gate.

38 represents a forward extension of one of the bars 6 of the gate, which extension is seated within the bevel-slot 39 near the foot of the latching-post when the gate is closed, which prevents pigs or other stock from forcing the bottom of the gate out of place in their endeavors to trespass through. It also, when the gate is closed in its normal position, bears up the weight at the sag end of -said gate and releases the brace-rods from their otherwise continuous tension. Arlhe extended end of the bar is protected by a metal strap, 50, that'is secured thereto by nails or screws 5l.

l will now describe the actuating devices by which the gate is simultaneously unlatched and slid open and afterward closed and relatched Without the riders having to alight from the vehicle or horse.v

40 represents the Vpulley-box housing tha crowns the summits of the duplicate supporting-posts l, to which it is secured by the vertical vpivot-bolts 4l, which each pass Ithrough the cover ,of theboX and each through one of the duplicate double pulleys 42 and into the top of one of the posts.

43 represents two posts, which are planted alongside the track on opposite sides of said gate ataconvenient distance for drivers and riders as they approach and leave the same to operate the hand-cranks 44, the axles 45 of which run in bracket-bearers 46, that are secured to the top of the posts 43 by screw- Y bolts 47, and on which axles are mounted the double draw-pulleys (not drive-pulleys) 48,'

that carry and draw the actuating Wire rope 37. The division-ridge between the two sections of each double draw-pulley 48 has a recessed notch, 49, which provides a passage for the wire rope from the coil around one concave recess of the said double pulley to the other.

The wire rope is preferably integral from end to end, the said ends being located at the rear of the'heel-post 5 of the gate through perforations' 52, in which post they are passed, and beneath which perforations, after drawing upvthe slack of the rope, the ends are bent down, andare there securely fastened by the clamping-iron 53, Whose grip is enforced by the clamping-screw 54, which passes through said iron and is screw-seated in said post.

55 are perforations in all four sides of the pulley-box in line with the travel of the rope to and from the pulleys inclosed therein.

The actuating wire rope that slides the gate, when made, as lit preferably is, of a single rope,'may be rove or placed in position (taking Fig. I for my descriptive base) as follows: One end of =the rope is passed through the farther of the perforations 52 in the heel-post of the gate, and the rope is drawn through until only the clamping end A of said rope is left exposed at the rear of said post. The rope then passes ma B from said post to and partly around one of the sections of one of the double transit-pulleys 42 within lthe pulley-box 40, (it being obvious and understood that as the rope passes tonand from said pulleys it runs through the perforations 55 in the pulley-boxes that are in line Withit.) From said pulley it travels ma C to one section of one of the operative double pulleys 48, around the concave recess of which it is coiled a fully suflicient number of turns (if the gate is closed) to payout in slack the rear end of the cord C B on the o side of the gate as said gate slides back to its open terminal. The cord thenlpasses through the notch 49 into the corresponding concave recess of the adjacent section of the double pulley, and should the gate be closed thelrope need there take but a single turn around said pulley.

It may here be stated that it is preferred that the rope should take an. eXtra turn around each section of the operative pulleys more than is paidout in either opening or yclosing the gate, so as to hold the rope securely in position and inthe notch in which it is passed from one seat to the other of the pulley.` i

The rope passes rial) from the operative pulley to the other section of the same double transit-pulley, 42, around which it previously turned, and from that passes ra E to and IOO IIO

through the perforation in the trip-lug that sui-mounts and lifts the latch, passing to and from said trip-lug under the clevis 24. rlhe rope is now in the middle of its course. From the latch the rope passes mld F to one section of the second double transit-pulley 42, and turns partly around it. It then passes yra G to one section of the second operative pulley, around which it is coiled, and, as in its corresponding pulley, passes through the notch 49 into the concave recess of the adjacent section of the double pulley, and atterbeing coiled a sufficient number of times around the same it goes rico H to the other section of the same double transit-pulley, 42, that it last occupied in the pulley-box. Frein this it passes yvia I to an-d through the nigh perforation 52 in the heel-post 5 of the gate, through which perforation the last extremity, J, of the Wire rope projects. The reeving of the rope is nowl effected, and its varied course is plainly indicated by consecutive letters. After the slack has been taken up in the rope the ends ,A and J, that protrude from the rear of the heelpost 5 of the gate, are bent down, and the clamping-iron 53 is made to grip the same tightly by turning the clamp-screw 54, which passes through the said clamping-iron and into its screw-seat in the heel-post.

The operation in effecting the sliding of the gate is as follows: Suppose that the driver or rider approches the gate on the nigh side, as seen in Fig. I, the gate being completely closed and latched, as shown Fig. Il. lVithout alighting he stops opposite the handcrank operative pulley on the said nigh side ot the gate and turns the handle in a right-hand rotation, so as to wind up the section of the cord marked G,and at the same time pay out the section marked H. The pay out of section H slackens section I to allow the gate to run back, and at the same time the draw on section G draws section F, the effect of which is, first, to trip the latch, and, secondly, to slide the gate back until it is fully opened, the rope remaining stationary in the perforation ot the trip-trigger of the latch, because, as the gate slides back, the other moiety of the rope with its transit and operative pulleys is moved by the tension exerted upon section D through post 5 in the same manner as the active one. After driving orriding through the open gateway the gate is closed by turning .the crank-handle of the operative pulley at the other side of the gate, which is at that time opposite the operator. It will thus be seen that both the opening and closing ot the gate are effected Without the travelers having to alight. lVh en the rope stretches, the clampscrew 54 and clamping-iron 53 are loosened or removed, and the slack is then taken up in the rope, and the clamping-iron and screw replaced to hold it to its adjustment.

There are four places at which the rope remains immovable while sliding the gat-eviz., at the trip of the latch, at the notches in' the bevel-rims that separate the adjoining concavitiesot' the sections of the two double operative pulleys, and at the clamped ends of the rope at the rear of the heel-post of the gate; but in the last three of said positions the rope has to be moved when, after stretching, the slack is taken up.

The tension brace-rods 22 and 16 provide effective means to prevent the gate from sagging or to right it up and brace it it it ever settles from the square. K

By the use ot my duplicate central supporting-posts, l, between which the gate travels on the track-roller journaled to said posts, the counterpoise-bars 8 and 15, the guide-post 10, the anti-frictiori-rollers 9, and the tensionrods'l and 22, with the especial arrangement ot the transit-pulleys and operative handcrank draw-pulleys, the trip-latch, and the actuating-chain, with its clamping device at the rear of the heel-post, in connection with other attachments, my gate is operated, latched, and unlatched without the necessity of any surmonnting frame, which is obstructive to the passage of high loads, &c.

It will be seen that the turning-point in the operation of the actuating wire rope is at the notch 49, that crosses the dividing-ridge between the two sections of the operative drawpulleys 4S, in which notch the rope is seated and always immovable when the gate is sliding either in opening' or closing, as stated in the previous description ot said parts. The inner plies of the coil of the rope around the pulley on each side of said notch are preterably supcriunnerary coils that are never unwonnd while the gate is operated, so that they hold the rope firmly in said notch,in which it is trans"erred :from one section to the other ot' said pulley. The only time when the rope needs to be moved past said dividing ridge or notch is when, having stretched, (which it will in course of time, especially when new,) the slack is required to be taken up, at which time it is redrawn through the heel-post of the gate, and again secured by my screw clamping device 53 54 at the rear of said heelpost.

In conclusion it wil-l be seen that when sliding the gate open by the action of one of the cranks and operati n g draw-pulleys on th e wire rope they actu ate the portion of the rope passing between the oftl or rear side of said drawpulley ma the transit-pulley 42 to the latch, and the front end of the gate has a positive action exercised on it, theinit'ial step of which lifts the spring trip-latch, and thus untastens the gate, and then as the draw (not drive) pulley continues to coil up the rope around its rear concave section the concave sections of said pulley next the crank-handle pays out or uncoils its section of the rope that reaches from the said dividing ridge or notch therein of said pulley ma the transit-pulley 42 to the heel-post of the gate, where the end of the rope is clamped. 'lhus the last-named por- IOO IIO

tion of the rope vhas a negative'slack action exercised on it, which allowsfull play for the positive action of the other portion of said rope, as previously described.

In closing the gate, the action of the cranks and operative rollers being reversed, their relatively positive and negative actions on the forward and rear portions of the rope, as

described above, are reversed also.

If only a horse and his rider or foot travelers require to pass throughthe gateway, it is evident that a turn ortwo of the crank-handle will slide open the gate sufficiently.

I claim as my inventionl. In a sliding gate, the combination of the gate, the double central supporting-posts, the track-roller that carries the gate between said posts, the journal-bolt that is inserted in the posts and carries said roller, the counterpoisebar 8, secured to the heel-post of said gate, the A counterpoise brace-carrier bar 15, the guide-post l0, the anti-friction rollers 9, between which said counterpoise-bar runs, the journal-frame that houses said rollers, and the journal-bolts that carry them, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

Y 2. In a sliding gate, the combination of the double` central supporting-posts, the trackroller that carries the gate between said posts, the gate void of a diagonal brace and having a heel-post with a surmounting extension, the horizontal counterpoise-bar 8, secured to the rear of said heel-post, the guide-post 10, the anti-friction rollers it carries, between which said bar runs as the gate slides, the vertical counterpoise-bar l5 on the end of the bar 8, the clevis 20, secured to the foot of said heelpost, the lower brace-rod,16, that hooks in said clevis and runs through the lower end of the counterpoise-bar l5, the equalizing-washer 18 on the rear end of said rod, the nut I7, that adjusts the tension of said brace-rod, the clevis 24, secured at the top of the -toe-posts of the gate, the compound brace-rod 22, that hooks into said clevis, is elevated and carried in a recessed seatat top of the surmounting exten-sion of the heel-post, and runs through the upper end of theycounterpoise-bar 15, the

equaliZing-washer 29, and the screw-nut ,28, that regulates the adjustment of said upper brace-rod, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a sliding gate, the combination of the gate, the supporting-posts between which,-and

. the track-roller on which, said gate runs, the

counterpoise-bars 8 and 15 to balance and steady the gate, the guide-post 10, the anti-friction rollers journaled to said post, between which rollers the bar 8 runs, the forward extension, 38, of one of the gate-bars near the bottom, the latching-post 35, planted at the forward limit of the gate when closed, the bevelslot 39 in said post, in which the projecting end 38 of one of the gate-bars is seated when the gate is closed, the latch-plate 34 at the head of saidy post, andghe trip-latch on the gate that engages therewith when the gate is closed, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a sliding gate, the combination of the gate having an elongated heel-post, the double posts l, between which, and the track-roller 2 on which, the gate runs, the counterpoise-bars, the brace-rods, the double pulleys 42, that relativelysurmount said posts, the perforated box-housing that incloses said pulleys, and the journal-bolts on which said pulleys run and that secure said pulleys and their hous.

ing to the heads of said post, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a sliding gate, the combination of the gate, the two central posts between which, and the track-roller on which, said gate runs, the double pulleys 42, each journaled tothe top of the post it surmounts, the box in which said pulleys are closely housed, the said box being perforated for the passage of the actuating-rope, the guide-post 10, having antifriction rollers, the counterpoise bars, the transversely-stationed posts 43, the journalbearer brackets that surmount said posts, the

hand-cranks 44, the aXles45, and the double draw-pulleys 48, that are mounted on said axles, substantiallyas described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a sliding gate, the combination of the double central posts between which, and the track-roller on which, the gate runs, the said gate @vided with an elongated heel-post, the counterpoise-bars 8 and 15, the tension brace-rods 16 and 22, t-he automatic trip-latch 30, the latching-post and latch-plate with which saidlatch engages, the double transitpulleys 42, journaled on the top of said central posts, the perforated box-housing that incloses said pulleys, the transverse outstanding posts 43, the journal-bearing brackets that surmount said posts, the axles having bearings in said brackets, the hand-cranks 44, mounted on said axles, the double vdrawpulleys 48, the actuating-rope 37, that the crank-pulleys drive and that drives the gate, and the clamping-iron 53 and clamp-screw 54, that fastens the ends of the rope to its adjustment, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a sliding gate, the combination of the gate, the two central supporting-posts, the track-roller journaled between said posts, on

rif;

which roller the gate runs, the double transitrollers 42, each respectively journaled to the top of th'e post it surmounts, the box perforated for the passage of the actuating-rope, the transversely-stationed posts 43, the mounted double draw-pulleys that surmount the lastnamed posts, the crank-handles that turn said pulleys, the actuating-ropeY 37, that coils aroundl said draw and transit pulleys, the dividing-ridges between the concave sections of the draw pulleys being provided with notches in which the rope is seated as it passes from one concave section to the other, action, substantially as described, and for the arranged for the actuating-rope While operpurpose set forth. ative to remain stationary in said notches, j

NORI IN. and the portions thereof on each side of said JALOL P 5 dividing-point at said notches to have re1a- In. presence oftivelyand alternatively as the gate opens and BENJ N. A. KNIGHT, closes a positive draw and negative pay-ont SAML. KNIGHT. 

